A new EUR 3 million contribution from the European Union (EU) will help UNRWA continue providing cash assistance to Palestine Refugees from Syria living in Lebanon, helping families meet basic needs such as food, rent, medicine, and other essentials.
For the approximately 22,000 Palestine Refugees from Syria living in Lebanon, life remains extremely difficult. Around 87 per cent live in poverty, and legal restrictions continue to limit access to employment opportunities, including in professions such as medicine, engineering, law, and nursing. The recent military escalation has further deepened humanitarian needs, displaced communities, and disrupted livelihoods.
Thanks to this new EU support, Palestine Refugees from Syria registered with UNRWA’s Digital Identity Verification system will receive monthly cash assistance of US$ 45 per household, in addition to US$ 20 per person.
“The EU’s support provides vulnerable Palestine Refugee families from Syria with the opportunity to live with dignity despite particularly difficult circumstances. The EU continues to support the most vulnerable in Lebanon, including Palestine Refugees from Syria, Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese, in their time of need,” said Branko Golubovic, EU Humanitarian Expert at the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) in Lebanon.
UNRWA continues to provide essential services to Palestine Refugees from Syria in Lebanon. Children attend UNRWA schools, patients access healthcare through the Agency’s health centres, and vulnerable families receive cash assistance to help cover daily expenses.
In 2025, almost 2,500 Palestine Refugees from Syria attended UNRWA schools, over 22,000 received cash assistance, and more than 82,000 consultations were provided through the Agency’s 26 health centres.
“The EU’s support provides a critical lifeline for Palestine Refugees from Syria who remain in Lebanon and continue to face immense hardship. Until conditions allow for a safe and dignified return to Syria, the cash assistance enables families to meet basic livelihood needs in increasingly difficult circumstances,” said Dorothee Klaus, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon.
The new contribution reflects the EU’s long-standing partnership with UNRWA and its commitment to supporting Palestine Refugees.
For nearly three decades, the EU has been one of UNRWA’s most important partners, supporting education, healthcare, relief and social services, protection and emergency assistance across the Agency’s five fields of operation.
In Lebanon, EU funding helps UNRWA provide critical humanitarian assistance and protection services to tens of thousands of Palestine Refugees. Beyond cash assistance, the EU supports UNRWA’s education vocational training, including at the Siblin Training Centre, where 864 young people were enrolled during the 2024/2025 academic year. Since 2022, EU-funded programmes have also created more than 1,800 short-term work opportunities, helping young Palestine Refugees develop skills and access the labour market.
